Traditionally the law industry has been known to be one that is dominated by males, but in the last few years, it has made big leaps in terms of the inclusion of women.
But is real-life gender equality reflected in what we see of the legal industry on TV?
As part of a new study, the team at BPP University Law School have analysed characters’ and their job roles across 30 different legal dramas, to reveal whether what we see on TV is reflective of steps being made towards inclusivity.
https://www.bpp.com/insights/profiling-the-law-profession
According to the data when it came to seniority, the legal industry is still represented as a leading ‘man’s world. In fact, over two-thirds (64%) of those in senior partner roles in legal dramas were revealed to be male, compared to 36% who were female.
While this figure might be representative of the actual number of females in senior roles across the UK, which currently stands at 35%, a recent article has revealed that not enough visibility of females in senior roles is playing a part in the misconceptions of what a top lawyer looks like.
Jo Pugh, Dean at BPP University Law School said: “It’s clear from our research that representation of lawyers in both TV and the media still has a long way to go in order to change the image of ‘what a lawyer looks like’ in reality.
“Traditionally the legal industry has been elitist, meaning that only those who are the most advantaged have been more likely to advance in their careers towards being a solicitor or barrister.
“However, the legal sector is a diverse and innovative place and is important that we all work together to help change this perception going forward whether that be representation on TV or providing equal opportunities for those from different backgrounds, so they have the chance to succeed.